Restaurant Tim Raue

Berlin, Germany

No.48

Tell us a story: Tim Raue wanted to be an architect but didn’t have any money to study. He chose to enter the kitchen because it was the most creative option available to him at the time, working for several high-profile hotels before opening his eponymous restaurant in 2010. His wife Marie-Anne is the restaurant’s maître d' and sommelier.

What’s on the menu? Interesting fusion cooking that’s careful not to dumb down flavours. Raue is fascinated with Asian cuisine and regularly jets off to the continent to further expand his knowledge. His approach sees Asian and Western ingredients and techniques collide, often in spectacular fashion.

Other ventures: Raue’s culinary range is a lot wider than most chefs cooking at his level. Alongside his flagship he runs two other buzzy Berlin restaurants. The brilliantly titled La Soupe Populaire serves homely German dishes and Sra Bua at the Hotel Adlon Kempinski offers pan-Asian cuisine in glamorous surroundings.

Bonus point: In 2013, Raue cooked a dinner for Barack Obama and Angela Merkel plus a number of other highly distinguished guests. The brief was traditional – the menu included white asparagus with cod as well as veal meatballs – but Raue also managed to sneak in a few Asian touches, including a little dashi.